Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will review the current appeals process for NHS prescription penalty charges to ensure that reasonable discretion is applied in cases of (a) genuine mistake and (b) hardship.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are no plans to review the appeals process. The Real Time Exemption Checking Service in England (RTEC) helps pharmacy teams confirm whether a patient holds a valid exemption from National Health Service prescription charges quickly while in the pharmacy. The RTEC provides assurance to patients and pharmacy teams that exemptions are being claimed correctly.

It is also a patient’s responsibility to be aware of their entitlement and to ensure they take appropriate steps to legitimately enable them to claim exemption from charges. Further information on this is available on the NHS.UK website and the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) website, which are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/check-if-you-can-get-free-prescriptions/

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-help-health-costs

Patients can also use the NHS BSA eligibility checker, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/dont-get-caught-out-penalty-charges/check-you-tick

Where a patient is unsure if they are entitled to exemption from NHS prescription charges, they should pay the applicable charges and request an FP57 receipt and refund form at the point at which they pay the prescription charge. They can then claim a refund from the pharmacy within three months of paying the prescription charge once they have evidence of exemption.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the services available at job centres to (a) community organisations and (b) sports groups.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) supports customers through our job centre network and a range of venues within local communities such as community centres and sports venues. These services allow DWP to help harder to reach customers in an environment that suits their needs and will be a core principle of the jobs and careers service.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that families are able to afford school uniforms in Lancashire.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The cost of school uniform, particularly of branded items, remains a key concern for parents. Whilst uniforms play a valuable role in creating a sense of common identity among pupils and reducing visible inequalities, too many schools still require high numbers of branded uniform items despite statutory guidance stating branded items should be kept to a minimum. Currently 24% of primary and 71% of secondary schools still require five or more branded items, with some parents saying they were asked to provide ten or more.

This is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and physical education kit that schools can require, to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities. This will give parents more choice in where to purchase uniform and allow them greater flexibility to make the spending decisions that suit their circumstances.

The department intends to introduce this limit from September 2026. On 23 October, we published updated statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This includes draft statutory guidance to support schools in implementing any necessary changes within the proposed limit.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to extend free breakfast clubs beyond primary schools.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The rollout of free breakfast clubs prioritises primary-aged children, as this is where the evidence of impact is strongest. A report published by the Education Endowment Foundation found that attainment improved in primary-aged children who attended a breakfast club, and teachers also marked an improvement in pupil behaviour.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department provides to (a) employers and (b) service providers on making reasonable adjustments for people with (i) misophonia and (ii) other sensory conditions.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All employers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace where a disabled employee, would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act and providing guidance on reasonable adjustments.

Employers have a key role to play in supporting workers with long term health conditions or disabilities in the workplace. DWP's current offer to employers includes a digital information service, www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/ which provides tailored guidance to businesses to support employees to remain in work. This includes guidance on health disclosures and having conversations about health, plus guidance on legal obligations, including statutory sick pay and making reasonable adjustments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of public confidence in Government-backed net zero projects.

Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

79% of the UK public are concerned about climate change [1], and are aware of and support the government’s net zero target [2]. We have a credible plan for delivering net zero. The Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan sets out how the UK will continue to reduce emissions in a way that lowers bills and secures good jobs, as well as bringing warmer homes, cleaner air and increased access to nature – delivering tangible improvements to the everyday lives of people now and for generations to come.

[1] Public Attitudes Tracker, Summer 2025

[2] 91% are aware of UK’s net zero goal (Public Attitudes Tracker, Summer 2025) and 63% support it (Climate barometer 2025)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what mechanisms his Department has put in place to allow people to report (a) poor performance and (b) untidy workmanship from Government contractors.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Individual contracting authorities are responsible for monitoring contract performance. The Procurement Act 2023 will require contracting authorities to publish Key Performance Indicators and performance against them on major contracts. These will be published on the Central Digital Platform.

Under the Procurement Act, poor performance has been established as a new discretionary exclusion ground, making it easier for contracting authorities to exclude suppliers who have under-performed on other relevant contracts. Contracting authorities must notify the Procurement Review Unit (PRU) of any supplier exclusions via its page on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many visits by Ministers in her Department took place in constituencies represented by (a) Labour, (b) Conservative and (c) other hon. Members in the period between 4 July 2024 and 2 July 2025.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the NHS emergency department opt-out testing programme on early diagnosis rates for (a) HIV, (b) hepatitis B and (c) hepatitis C.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

A public health evaluation of the emergency department blood-borne virus opt-out testing programme for the first 34 sites taking part showed that there were 3,667 new diagnoses of hepatitis B, 831 of hepatitis C, and 719 of HIV between April 2022 and December 2024.

Approximately 50% of all people diagnosed with hepatitis B and hepatitis C were newly diagnosed through the programme, compared to 8.3% for HIV. The vast majority, or 73.4%, of people newly diagnosed had no record of a previous bloodborne virus test, which indicates that the testing programme has been successful in accessing a population with different demographics and risk factors to testing offered in other settings and supporting the earlier diagnosis of these individuals.

The public health evaluation of the emergency department opt-out testing programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bloodborne-viruses-opt-out-testing-in-emergency-departments/public-health-evaluation-of-bbv-opt-out-testing-in-eds-in-england-33-month-final-report-2025

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to review the use of (a) confidentiality clauses and (b) NDAs in consumer redress agreements involving alleged (i) harm or (ii) injury to animals.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

DBT does not currently have any plans to review consumer redress agreements involving alleged harm or injury to animals.

The MoJ recently introduced an amendment to the Victims and Courts Bill which ensures that confidentiality clauses or NDAs used in any context cannot be legally enforced to the extent that they purport to prevent victims and direct witnesses of crime (including those who reasonably believe they fall into these categories), from making allegations of, or disclosing information relating to, relevant criminal conduct. This could include any animal cruelty which constitutes criminal behaviour.

Earlier this year, DBT also announced reform in the Employment Rights Bill to address the misuse of NDAs in cases of relevant harassment and discrimination. The government will be consulting on this reform in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of consumer protections for customers whose animals are injured during paid (a) grooming or (b) veterinary services.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has not made any recent assessments specifically related to consumer protections for veterinary and grooming services. However, consumer legislation sets out protections for all consumers.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, traders must carry out a service with reasonable care and skill, and within reasonable time. Where a trader fails to meet the standards required, this could be a breach of contract.

DBT also funds Citizens Advice to provide the consumer service which supports consumers to resolve disputes and assert their rights

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the income thresholds for eligibility for free school meals.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty, that is why the department is introducing a new eligibility threshold for free school meals. This ensures that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will be eligible from September 2026. This change will lift 100,000 children across England out of poverty and put £500 back into families’ pockets.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of Milbanke care home on the availability of care home places in (a) Lancashire and (b) Fylde constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities, in this case the Lancashire County Council, are required to shape their local markets, and to ensure that people have a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support options available to them, such that they can access services that best meet their needs.

This reflects the fact that local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the care needs of their populations, and to make any assessment of proposals in relation to local market capacity.

Department officials maintain a range of engagement on a range of issues with directors of adult social services and their departments in local authorities across the country. Colleagues from the Lancashire County Council have been involved in these discussions.

I have agreed to meet with a number of local Members of Parliament to discuss the consultation the Lancashire County Council has launched on the future of 10 adult social care services, including the Milbanke care home.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Lancashire County Council on care home provision in (a) Lancashire and (b) Fylde constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities, in this case the Lancashire County Council, are required to shape their local markets, and to ensure that people have a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support options available to them, such that they can access services that best meet their needs.

This reflects the fact that local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the care needs of their populations, and to make any assessment of proposals in relation to local market capacity.

Department officials maintain a range of engagement on a range of issues with directors of adult social services and their departments in local authorities across the country. Colleagues from the Lancashire County Council have been involved in these discussions.

I have agreed to meet with a number of local Members of Parliament to discuss the consultation the Lancashire County Council has launched on the future of 10 adult social care services, including the Milbanke care home.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons had the highest rates of accidental release of prisoners in each of the last five years.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address this issue.

Totals for releases in error, including a breakdown by releasing prison (or Prisoner Escort Custody Services), are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK , and provide data up to March 2025.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been released early in Lancashire in the last 12 months.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address this issue.

Totals for releases in error, including a breakdown by releasing prison (or Prisoner Escort Custody Services), are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK , and provide data up to March 2025.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been accidentally released early in each of the last five years.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address this issue.

Totals for releases in error, including a breakdown by releasing prison (or Prisoner Escort Custody Services), are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK , and provide data up to March 2025.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of pupils in Fylde constituency who are eligible for free school meals but do not take them.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department publishes data on free school meals (FSM) in our annual ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25. The most recent data was published on 5 June, and the next publication is planned for summer 2026.

The department does not hold information on the proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for FSM but do not take them. However, we collect data on the proportion of pupils who are eligible for FSM and the number and proportion of pupils who had taken lunch recorded as taking a FSM on census day.

To access data from previous academic years, visit the 'Releases in this series' section on the publication website. Then, locate the 'School level underlying data' file under 'Additional supporting files'.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in Lancashire were eligible for free school meals in each of the last five years.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department publishes data on free school meals (FSM) in our annual ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25. The most recent data was published on 5 June, and the next publication is planned for summer 2026.

The department does not hold information on the proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for FSM but do not take them. However, we collect data on the proportion of pupils who are eligible for FSM and the number and proportion of pupils who had taken lunch recorded as taking a FSM on census day.

To access data from previous academic years, visit the 'Releases in this series' section on the publication website. Then, locate the 'School level underlying data' file under 'Additional supporting files'.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether West Lindsey District Council has raised legal objections with her Department on housing asylum seekers at RAF Scampton.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Following a review, this Government announced the discontinuation of plans to use former RAF Scampton as asylum accommodation, in September 2024.

The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment not to use former RAF Scampton for asylum accommodation on 25 September 2025.

The Government is now going through the process of disposing of the site on the open market.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the annual revenue raised through VAT charged on Remembrance wreaths purchased by (a) local authorities, (b) schools and (c) community organisations.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served.

Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rightly enjoy generous tax reliefs, worth over £6 billion in 2024, including Gift Aid, exemptions from corporation tax and a number of VAT reliefs to support fund-raising activities. However, where charities sell goods and services, for example charging a set price, and the charity is VAT registered, it must charge VAT unless a VAT relief is available.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT charged on specific products or services. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make representations to HM Treasury on the potential impact of VAT on the affordability of (a) Remembrance wreaths and (b) other commemorative items provided by charities.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served.

Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rightly enjoy generous tax reliefs, worth over £6 billion in 2024, including Gift Aid, exemptions from corporation tax and a number of VAT reliefs to support fund-raising activities. However, where charities sell goods and services, for example charging a set price, and the charity is VAT registered, it must charge VAT unless a VAT relief is available.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT charged on specific products or services. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that VAT policy does not discourage participation in Remembrance events organised by (a) charities and (b) local authorities.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served.

Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rightly enjoy generous tax reliefs, worth over £6 billion in 2024, including Gift Aid, exemptions from corporation tax and a number of VAT reliefs to support fund-raising activities. However, where charities sell goods and services, for example charging a set price, and the charity is VAT registered, it must charge VAT unless a VAT relief is available.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT charged on specific products or services. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will review VAT rules to ensure that (a) the purchase of wreaths and (b) other purchases made in support of charitable remembrance activities are not subject to VAT.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served.

Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rightly enjoy generous tax reliefs, worth over £6 billion in 2024, including Gift Aid, exemptions from corporation tax and a number of VAT reliefs to support fund-raising activities. However, where charities sell goods and services, for example charging a set price, and the charity is VAT registered, it must charge VAT unless a VAT relief is available.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT charged on specific products or services. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the Department’s target date is for ensuring that all schools and colleges in England are free from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​​The government has set out its plans to permanently remove reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) from schools and colleges.

​By the end of this Parliament, every school and college in England that is not being fully or substantially rebuilt will be RAAC-free.

​Alongside this, every school needing to be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme, will be in delivery, with half having started already.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) UEFA and (b) FIFA on the participation of Israel in international football.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Secretary of State has not had such discussions with UEFA and FIFA. The government fully respects the independence and autonomy of sports organisations. Decisions on participation in international sports events are a matter for the relevant international sport federations and their national representatives.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Lancashire County Council on support for unpaid carers in Fylde constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department for Health and Social Care regularly engages with local authorities, including Lancashire County Council, on a range of social care issues, including unpaid carers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many returns agreements her Department have made to enable the return of foreign nationals in the last 12 months.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The UK has signed returns related agreements with Vietnam, Algeria, Iraq, Moldova and France in the last 12 months.

This Government is committed to maintaining and improving returns cooperation with all countries to which we are seeking to remove those with no legal basis to remain in the UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost was of the Prime Minister's attendance at COP30.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Ministerial travel is undertaken using efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. Security considerations are also taken into account. Information about official overseas travel is published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website. It has been the practice that official Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible. Civil Servants and Special Advisers routinely travel with the Prime Minister, including so as to provide support in the conduct of any official duties, which can arise at any time.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an estimate of the carbon emissions generated by the Prime Minister's attendance at the COP30 summit; and whether he took steps to offset those emissions.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Ministerial travel is undertaken using efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. Security considerations are also taken into account. Information about official overseas travel is published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website. It has been the practice that official Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible. Civil Servants and Special Advisers routinely travel with the Prime Minister, including so as to provide support in the conduct of any official duties, which can arise at any time.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) civil servants and (b) support staff attended the COP30 summit; and for what reason.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Ministerial travel is undertaken using efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. Security considerations are also taken into account. Information about official overseas travel is published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website. It has been the practice that official Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible. Civil Servants and Special Advisers routinely travel with the Prime Minister, including so as to provide support in the conduct of any official duties, which can arise at any time.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on the (a) mutual recognition and (b) simplified conversion of pilot licences between the UK Civil Aviation Authority and EASA member states.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Mutual recognition of personnel licensing and simplified conversion of pilot licences would require an expansion to the Aviation Safety Chapter of the TCA (Trade and Cooperation Agreement) which is reviewed annually at the UK-EU Specialised Committee on Aviation Safety. The last meeting took place on 21 November 2024 and no expansion was agreed.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring councillors in principle tier authorities to obtain a DBS check.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Criminal record checks provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service (‘DBS checks’) for local government members are currently optional; it is for individual local authorities to adopt eligible checks as they determine necessary.

I am considering options on criminal record checks for local government members.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the US government shutdown on (a) sanctions coordination, (b) security cooperation and (c) other joint UK–US foreign policy initiatives.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We remain in constant contact with our US counterparts on a range of joint foreign policy initiatives and priorities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken in the (a) processing and (b) payment of pension lump sums for teachers retiring at the end of the academic year.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Capita, as the Teachers’ Pension Scheme administrator, has confirmed that payments were completed on 1 September 2025, for those teachers who met the 18 August 2025 deadline for submitting their 2024/25 academic year retirement application.

Applications received after the 18 August deadline are being processed as quickly as possible by Capita and should be paid within 10 working days of receiving the application, provided that all information is available to process.

The department has contractual Service Level Agreements for the processing of these payments and continually monitors Capita’s performance to ensure that members’ pension lump sums are paid on time.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent meetings she has had with (a) animal welfare groups and (b) (i) veterinary and (ii) training organisations on the use of electric shock collars on pet dogs.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

DEFRA regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders on animal welfare issues.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage (a) dog breeders to undertake health testing before breeding puppies and (b) responsible dog acquisition.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, licensed breeders are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies.

Under the statutory guidance, the licenced dog breeder must make sure that the purchaser is informed of the age, sex and veterinary record of the dog being sold, and that a puppy may only be shown to a prospective purchaser if it is together with its biological mother. In addition, Defra supports the sector’s Puppy Contract for responsible puppy breeding and buying.

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government will bring an end to puppy farming. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.